The Hightower Family Foundation’scommitment is to be at the intersection of Human Rights, Economic Freedom,and Empowering Young People to become avid Economic and Civic Actors in our communities.

Our Mission

Hightower Family Foundation is dedicated to encouraging youth education and entrepreneurship. We primarily support organizations that foster the development of young individuals to help them raise their standards for high-level achievement. An emphasis is placed on African American youth to foster alternative ideas of success and economic awareness for prospective careers, business and investments. Additionally, we aspire to help under serviced youth obtain vision, hope, awareness and access to opportunity; essentials which we believe are necessary to promote brighter futures.

Initiative Spotlight

National Park Foundation

"Every Kid in a Park"

"One Million African American Youth in a Park"

2016 was the 100th Anniversary of the National Parks. In February of 2016, President Obama announced the launch of the “Every Kid in a Park” initiative, a collaborative effort with the National Park Foundation to engage millions of young Americans with our natural wonders and treasures. As part of the campaign, every fourth grader in the nation is eligible to receive an “Every Kid in a Park” pass, good for free admission to all of America’s federal lands and waters—for them and their families—for a full year.

As an Ohio businessman, appointed by the President of the United States to the National Park Foundation Board of Directors, I saw this as a unique opportunity to reach a new generation. I am personally taking this challenge a step further by committing to reach over one million African American youth; to expose them and to introduce them to our national wonders and historic sites. My thoughts were that, “It would be a travesty not to include the African American youth and the community in this celebration”.

Today less than one percent of the attendees to the parks are African American. So through the Hightower Family Foundation, and the National Park Foundation, we will be raising $10 Million for transportation to expose these sites to each African American fourth grader in America.

This opportunity goes beyond just visiting our Parks, but will expose African American youth to other aspects of the Parks, e.g. forging a stronger connection to both nature and our shared history; increased educational opportunities, including STEM and STEAM Learning; and career path options.

I look forward to discussing this game changing experience for our nation’s youth with you and your organization. Together we can get “One Million African American Youth” access to our country’s beautiful treasures.